Warriors Play Waiting Game After Season-Finale Loss to T-Birds

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With one week of regular season to go, Rochester is now in wait-and-see mode after taking a 10-2 loss to Tumwater on Tuesday.

It was the Warriors’ season-finale, which means they’ll be watching from home while the rest of the 2A Evergreen Conference plays its final slate of league games next week.

“It’s a weird way to end the season,” Rochester coach Brad Quarnstrom said.

Rochester is currently tied for fourth in league with Black Hills as both teams are 5-7 in league. Centralia is 3-5 and has a chance to catch both teams to create a three-way tie for the fourth seed, which would be a play-in berth to the 2A District IV tournament.

It was a rough matchup for the Warriors Thursday, playing the league-leading Thunderbirds. Rochester scored a pair of runs in the second inning to briefly tie the game up but Tumwater responded by scoring seven runs in the next three innings to pull away.

The Warriors were out-hit 11-3, getting hits from Tony Groninger (1 for 1, one run, one walk), Garren Smith (1 for 3, one run) and Hayden Pietrus (1 for 2, one RBI).

Tumwater had four multi-hit batters, led by Graysen Reveal going 3 for 3 with two RBIs and a walk. Alex Overbay was 2 for 4 with two runs and one RBI, Kyler Collier went 2 for 3 with two runs and Ryan Orr was 2 for 3 with two RBIs.

“They just out-hit and scored almost every inning,” Quarnstrom said.

Hyde Parrish tossed the first 2 ⅓ innings for Rochester, allowing six earned runs on six hits and three walks with a strikeout. Groninger pitched 2 ⅓ innings of relief, striking out two while allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks.

“Tony had a good game,” Quarnstrom said. “He came in relief and did an OK job. He had a good base hit down the line. And Hayden did a better job blocking balls behind the plate.”

Quarnstrom wanted to give a shoutout to his seven seniors — if this ends up being their final game: Landon Hawes, Tony Groninger, Garren Smith, Ledger Anderson, Kyle Wilson, Johnny Childers and Hugh Gramelspacher.